Nicotine in Food: What Foods Contain Nicotine?
Nicotine is commonly associated with tobacco and nicotine pouches, but it may surprise you to learn that nicotine in food exists too. Trace amounts of nicotine occur naturally in some everyday foods, including potatoes and aubergines. Read on to find out what the science says and whether it affects your health.
Key Takeaways
- There are very low amounts of nicotine in food, including some common vegetables.
- These levels are extremely low and do not have a meaningful effect on your body.
- According to one study, potatoes, tomatoes, and aubergines contain trace levels of nicotine.
- Green peppers and black tea do not contain detectable levels of nicotine.
Which Foods Contain Nicotine?
Have you ever wondered what foods contain nicotine or what food contains nicotine?
Research published in the New England Journal of Medicine analysed nicotine levels in the following vegetables and plants:1
- Aubergine
- Potatoes
- Tomatoes
- Cauliflower
- Green peppers
- Black tea
Some of these are foods that contain nicotine, although levels vary and some showed no detectable nicotine.
Understanding Nicotine Levels in Food
The researchers found trace amounts of nicotine in food, measured in nanograms per gram (ng/g), which is one-billionth of a gram.
For comparison, the New England Journal study notes that you would inhale approximately 1 microgram of nicotine (one-millionth of a gram) through 3 hours of passive exposure to cigarette smoke.1
1 microgram is 1,000 times larger than a nanogram, which shows just how small the amounts of nicotine in food really are.
Does Nicotine in These Foods Affect You?
No, the levels of nicotine in food are far too small to have any meaningful effect.
This is because:
- The nicotine dose is extremely low.
- Nicotine is absorbed differently when eaten compared to being inhaled.
- Cooking in water can reduce nicotine content even further (nicotine leaches into cooking water).
It is less effective to eat or digest nicotine compared to inhaling or absorbing through the mouth, as explained in this can you swallow snus guide.
Does Aubergine Contain Nicotine?
When asking what food has the most nicotine, aubergine had the highest levels among the foods tested.
The researchers found that aubergine nicotine levels are around 100 nanograms per gram.
Even at this level, the amount is still tiny.
The paper notes that you would need to eat around 10 grams of aubergine to consume about 1 microgram of nicotine (the approximate amount of nicotine inhaled through 3 hours of passive cigarette smoke exposure).
Do Tomatoes Have Nicotine?
It’s common to wonder do tomatoes have nicotine or is there nicotine in tomatoes?
Yes, nicotine in tomatoes exists, but only in trace amounts.
Wondering how much nicotine is in a tomato? This depends on type and ripeness, but approximately 4.1–10.7 nanograms per gram of nicotine.
Do Potatoes Have Nicotine?
Another commonly searched query is do potatoes have nicotine.
Yes, potatoes contain very small amounts of nicotine, depending on the part of the potato:
- Whole potato: about 7.1 nanograms per gram
- Potato pulp: about 15.3 nanograms per gram
- Potato peel: about 4.8 nanograms per gram
Again, these levels are extremely low.
Does Cauliflower Have Nicotine?
You might also be wondering: does cauliflower contain nicotine?
Although not a member of the nightshade family, cauliflower has been reported to contain trace amounts of nicotine at around 16.8 nanograms per gram, according to the study.
Other Foods & Plants
The study also investigated whether green peppers and black tea contain nicotine.
- Do peppers contain nicotine? There were no detectable nicotine levels found in green peppers.
- Does tea have nicotine? There were no detectable nicotine levels found in black tea.
Bottom Line
While nicotine in food does exist, the amounts are incredibly small.
These foods (including potatoes, tomatoes, and aubergine):
- Are completely safe to eat
- Do not produce any nicotine-related effects
So while it’s true that foods that contain nicotine exist, the levels are so minimal that they do not have any of the typical effects of nicotine.
FAQs Nicotine in Food
Is there nicotine in potatoes?
Yes, potatoes contain trace amounts of nicotine, but the levels are extremely low and not considered a health concern.
This answers the common query do potatoes contain nicotine?
Is there nicotine in tomatoes?
Yes, there is nicotine in tomatoes, but only in trace amounts.
So if you’re wondering do tomatoes have nicotine in them, does tomatoes have nicotine, and do tomatoes contain nicotine, the answer is yes, but these amounts are so low that they have no noticeable effect on the body.
What foods contain nicotine?
Some foods that contain nicotine include tomatoes, potatoes, and aubergine.
However, the amount of nicotine in food is extremely small compared to tobacco products.
Does nicotine in food affect your body?
No, nicotine in food does not affect your body in any meaningful way, because the levels of nicotine are too low.
Additionally, nicotine is processed less effectively when digested, compared to being inhaled or absorbed through the mouth.
References
- The Nicotine Content of Common Vegetables. E. Domingo et al.
